Dr. Evil

Could be a coolant leak. My plastic radiator leaked from day 1. You would see tell-tale similar white streaks on the rad or near pipe join.

my 'low-entry' jack doesnt fit under the exhaust, but the 1.5 ton factory scissor jack does slip on its side under the rear exhaust. I lift the rear of the car by the A-frame mount. a couple of turns is enough to raise it to change wheels, brake work, suspension settings. anything requireing me under the car, I jack it high enough to put jackstands under the chassis.

I have a factory LHD roadsport sigma with the airbox (from a Ford) that is plonked in front of the heater. It breathes through a tube from the bottom of the heater box to cold air from the heater louvres on the bonnet. I have no data to support this being a bad arrangement but it just seems like it would be restrictive at higher revs. I cant fit a later caterham airbox next to the throttle body as it has the old-style pedalbox and master-cylinder in way on the LHS. I'm thinking putting an ITG style cold airbox (maybe a ARAB65); just wondering is there any reason not to put the airbox/filter under the nose cone and tube it back to the MAF & throttle body or if the airbox should be close to the MAF/throttle body?

Finally done, but what a PITA! I mounted the brooklands legs with 12mm M5 countersunk underneath through the band, which was trouble, because the M5 domeheads are really a bit big for leg castings and don't leave much room for nuts as they are designed to have countersunk screws go in from the top. I had to chamfer the domehead nuts with a grinder to get them to fit. It looks like others maybe used M4s which would give a bit more room. For the side mirrors, I went for Lucas style door mirrors, but I didn't find any that had removable studs, so I cut the M8 studs off the mirror arms, drilled M6 holes as deep as I dared, and cut threads into them. They are held with a countersunk 10.8 M6 bolt each to the band I was looking for the full retro look, so tried MGA style center mirror - too wide between the screens and not that well made. I tried MG-TD mirror - nice, but the base is too wide for the caterham band. I finally found the Halcyon 770 small mirror, very nicely made and it looks to be the mirror Caterham uses for the 160 'supersprint'. A few tips, if I did it again, I would start by installing the two inner legs, one hole at a time, bolting the leg down and using the other hole as a drill guide, then mount the band on the car as it does flex a bit to the shape of the car, then use the screen to place the outer leg at the correct distance. Also would recommend to put some masking tape on the scuttle as the band will come on and off 20 times before it's done. Anyway, looking forward to spring for the opportunity to try the new setup.

not a fan of powder coating for longevity; it looks great at first and it hides a lot of sins, but it can harden over time, chip, flake and let water get underneath it rusting away hidden from sight. Personally if having a seven repanneled by arch, I'd POR15 or epoxy mastic 121 https://www.rust.co.uk/product/cat/em-121-epoxy-rust-proofing-chassis-paint-7 the chassis before handing it over to them. Maybe a little more effort, but I think it would last many years longer than powder coating.

For a bit more power with more revs, you could put in mgtf 135 cams and verniers. That shouldn't require a different ECU or remapping.

Metric S3. I had to go the other way; the brake pedal was in the middle, and my left foot got trapped under the brake pedal declutching in a stop which is scary. I bent the brake pedal closer to the accelerator which at worst i hit the brake and gas at the same time which is far safer. + with the AP master cylinder set up for ‘heel&toe’. I also shaved off the right hand side of the brake rubber for a few mm of clearance. btw someone should make ali caterham pedals -those things are heavy

thank you - helpful! windshield was a fiddle to get off as the stanchion bolts were not held by captive nuts but by an aluminium spreader washer and a nut. Knee trims out, now waiting for retaining channel brackets with the captive nuts to be delivered - parts 76424L & 76424R. Then will fit the, band, screens & choose some mirrors.

ok so new brooklands screens and band arrived with no instructions or diagrams. The band has two small holes drilled along the centreline of the band for unknown purpose. From other installations it looks like the aeroscreen legs are usually mounted not on the centreline, but maybe 1/4" from the trailing edge to offset the screens. could some kind person measure how far apart the holes from the trailing edge of the band, as well as the distance apart from the middle of the band (or inner stand to inner stand) to give me a sense of where best to place them. I don't have the equipment to countersink holes under the band, so was thinking to drill and tap holes and bolt them in from the top with shortened m5 caphead bolts of some sort.

Fair point - may not realistic DIY. I put MGTF135 cams in an elise together w/verniers and the MEMS ECU accommodates the mild increase of flow with grace, though to be fair I'm rarely in WOT. My challenge is that is that my Caterham is an EU export model so has a Ford Focus/Siemens ECU with a drive-by-wire throttle body, so without changing all of that for a measly 20-30bhp at 7000rpm, I'd be thinking of adjusting the stock ECU base maps by running closed-loop and looking at the short-term fuel trims for clues. Was thinking to try an experiment first with a freer-flowing MAF/air filter housing as the stock airbox looks to be a mondeo unit fed through a restricter pipe from the heater box but that's another story. If that works, I might try for cams.

Many thanks for the info. Heard nothing but great stuff from premier power, but I'm looking for a DIY option; part of the fun! Searching online, looks like Newman cams might have a TiVCT option as well.

32 years! nice project! Personally, if I was doing a no-expense-spared resto and had the time, I wouldn't powdercoat the chassis. It looks great, but it tends to brittle, chip and flake and creating hidden water traps between the powdercoat and the bare metal; leading to hidden corrosion. My 10 year old car which has mostly dry miles on it has powdercoat flaking here and there which I have to stay on top of. I'd go with a professional 2K spray, or use a brush with epoxy mastic, POR15 or even hammerite. I think that would last pretty much forever and patch easier even if a little less cosmetically pretty. Haven't heard of powdercoating the aluminium skins. Is that new?

Anybody know what camshaft is used for the 310R? Anybody measured the lobe lift? virtually no public domain knowledge on the sigma engine tuning compared to the K-series. I measured the lift on the 125 BHP TiVCT when I changed the belts a while ago and it was 8.9mm IN and EX. Camshaft was marked Ford 300610E my guess is that Caterham use piper cams for the upgrade to 152BHP, but it is noted 'not suitable for EU spec', which I think means not homologated, so I might go my own way when time allows https://www.pipercams.co.uk/Camshafts-Car/Make-Ford/Engine-FORD-SIGMA-1.6-ti-vct/

thanks - much appreciated. Any views on which mirrors for a classic look and how to mount them to the band?

A bit off topic, but anybody know if brooklands aeroscreens will pass Belgium CT on a BE registered car? Anybody done this? I fancy a setup for trackdays which I drive to & from.